Pesto Pasta

The recipe I "stole" this from actually called for gnocchi (little balls usually made from three parts potato and one part flour--soooo yummy!) but as we all know I'm still playing my "clean out the pantry" game and decided to sub in one of the many boxes of pasta we have instead.

Now, depending on where you order, pesto can be a crapshoot. Individually, its components are loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats, but if the balance is askew, then your nutritional intake will be too. When you make dishes with pesto, figure around 2 tbs per plate--and throw in some healthy extras like tomatoes and green beans to bring substance and balance to the bowl.



Ingredients:

- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 lb green beans
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 1 cup bite-size cubes of fresh mozzarella
- Freshly grated Parmesan (you can cheat on this and use "non-fresh")

How to make it:

1. Set a large pot of water over high heat. Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and green beans to the skillet and cook for 3 min, then toss in the tomatoes and continue to cook until the green beans are tender (but still crisp) and the tomatoes are browned on the outside. Remove from heat.

2. alt the water after it reaches a boil. Cook pasta/gnocchi according to package. Drain and add to pan with green beans and tomatoes. Stir in the pesto and mozzarella. Divide among 4 plates and top with Parmesan.

Calories: 490
Fat: 22g